Trivia: "unappreciated" Scenic Routes

[Bletchleyite]

I've been on many scenic journeys but the one I found absolutely amazing was from Andermatt to Disentis on the MGB. The line climbs to the east on the rack, into tunnel and eventually emerges high into a mountain vista. The first time I did the journey it was a bright and clear day, so a real eye popping moment.

Not quite as mountainous, nor unappreciated, but that's exactly the feeling I get at the southern end of the Conwy Valley. Shall have to do that one once allowed.

 

[eastwestdivide]

the one I found absolutely amazing was from Andermatt to Disentis on the MGB

in a way, it's better in the other direction: you get to the top of the hill above Andermatt and suddenly realise that you have an "aerial view" of Andermatt station 100s of metres below – your next stop.

 

[Bletchleyite]

in a way, it's better in the other direction: you get to the top of the hill above Andermatt and suddenly realise that you have an "aerial view" of Andermatt station 100s of metres below – your next stop.

The Loetschbergbahn is like that, as is the "Goldenpass"/MOB line to/from Montreux.

I do miss working over there.

 

[D6130]

I traveled on the narrow gauge FC Calabro-Lucane from Cosenza to Catanzaro in the 1970's. It is indeed a very scenic line through mountain country but I believe that through traffic had been halted due to a landslide. Has this been repaired now? I wouldn't mind doing the line again when circumstances permit.

I haven't travelled on this section of line since the mid-1980s, but I believe there is currently a substitute bus service covering the section in which the landslide occurred.

 

[Panceltic]

Slovenia has a fair bit of scenic routes, Jesenice to Nova Gorica comes to mind (already mentioned above), also Divača to Koper, and Ljubljana to Zidani Most (where the station is in a really spectacular location).

 

[alex397]

Slovenia has a fair bit of scenic routes, Jesenice to Nova Gorica comes to mind (already mentioned above), also Divača to Koper, and Ljubljana to Zidani Most (where the station is in a really spectacular location).

On the few trips I went on from Ljubljana, I went by coach (more frequent and more convienient - important for my limited time there), but I did travel between Ljubljana and Postojna by rail and it was stunning (and it is probably not as scenic as most of the network). The station building Postojna was also beautiful, and certainly much bigger than it needs to be for the limited stopping trains and passengers.

I’d certainly like to travel on more of the Slovenian network, as it is a really beautiful and clean country. Even the coach journey from the airport to Ljubljana was stunning - often a mundane journey in many other countries.

 

[MarcVD]

The wonderful little station of Zidani Most, Slovenia.

 

[Panceltic]

On the few trips I went on from Ljubljana, I went by coach (more frequent and more convienient - important for my limited time there), but I did travel between Ljubljana and Postojna by rail and it was stunning (and it is probably not as scenic as most of the network). The station building Postojna was also beautiful, and certainly much bigger than it needs to be for the limited stopping trains and passengers.

I’d certainly like to travel on more of the Slovenian network, as it is a really beautiful and clean country. Even the coach journey from the airport to Ljubljana was stunning - often a mundane journey in many other countries.

The Ljubljana-Koper line is saturated with freight and the fact that the Divača-Koper section is single-track doesn't help (this part is also the most scenic). It also has a huge altitude change and consequently is very long (has to go around to gain height). A new, more direct line (i.e. loads of tunnels) is currently in planning/construction to relieve the pressure.

In addition, there was a huge winter blizzard in 2014 which basically destroyed all the electrification and it took a long time to fix it.

Passenger service suffered immensely because of the combination of all this and the service never really recovered to the pre-214 level. There are about 3 passenger trains to Koper every day now I believe, and some of them are still being bustituted. Since the completion of the motorway there is also no real reason to take the train other than for purely scenic reasons.

You mention Postojna which is, incidentally, the highest station in Slovenia at 582m/1909ft above sea level. The building really is quite large but keep in mind this is the track of the original 1857 Vienna-Trieste railway which was the height of the engineering at the time and naturally necessitated grand infrastructure.

The Zidani Most station pictured in the next post is arguably the most important railway junction in Slovenia, but the place itself probably has less than 250 inhabitants. It probably sees close to zero local use, but thousands of people are changing trains there.

 

[43096]

The Ljubljana-Koper line is saturated with freight and the fact that the Divača-Koper section is single-track doesn't help (this part is also the most scenic). It also has a huge altitude change and consequently is very long (has to go around to gain height). A new, more direct line (i.e. loads of tunnels) is currently in planning/construction to relieve the pressure.

In addition, there was a huge winter blizzard in 2014 which basically destroyed all the electrification and it took a long time to fix it.

Passenger service suffered immensely because of the combination of all this and the service never really recovered to the pre-214 level. There are about 3 passenger trains to Koper every day now I believe, and some of them are still being bustituted. Since the completion of the motorway there is also no real reason to take the train other than for purely scenic reasons.

It was more of an "ice storm" caused by freezing rain.

 

[Richard Scott]

It was more of an "ice storm" caused by freezing rain.
View attachment 90733

Went in 2015, not much left of the overheads. Good for enthusiasts though as got 4 trips with a 664 in that day!!

 

[alex397]

You mention Postojna which is, incidentally, the highest station in Slovenia at 582m/1909ft above sea level. The building really is quite large but keep in mind this is the track of the original 1857 Vienna-Trieste railway which was the height of the engineering at the time and naturally necessitated grand infrastructure.

I never knew any of this, so great to know.

It was certainly a trek to get to the station from the town. A huge flight of steps was needed to get up to the station (my disability didn’t help). But it was worth it, as it was a lovely place to wait for a train, even with the motorway next to it (which was largely hidden from view).
I was surprised that the station building was still open, so it was great to see the interior as well as the exterior of the building. There was also an Italian steam locomotive on display.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Chicago to San Francisco

 

[Iskra]

Chicago to San Francisco

In my lockdown boredom I watched a Vlog of that and it does look good. It’s on my bucket list but how much of the good scenery do you miss with it being dark? ...I suppose you could do it in summer with more daylight.

I’m not sure it’s that unappreciated however, it’s one of the most famous train routes in the US, if not the world.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

In my lockdown boredom I watched a Vlog of that and it does look good. It’s on my bucket list but how much of the good scenery do you miss with it being dark? ...I suppose you could do it in summer with more daylight.

I’m not sure it’s that unappreciated however, it’s one of the most famous train routes in the US, if not the world.

You are probably right.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

One scenic line I had the chance to travel on was from Nice to Cuneo, an unlikely trans-alpine route through the 8km Tende tunnel in the Alpes Maritimes.
The line runs close to the France-Italy border the whole way, with a connecting line coming up from Ventimiglia joining at Breil sur Roya.
The whole area, like Nice, used to be part of the Savoy/Sardinian kingdom until mostly ceded to France in 1860 (Tende itself only in 1947).
The steep valleys on the French side (Mercantour National Park) topped with ancient villages are spectacular.
When I did the trip there were convenient SNCF through trains (ancient DMUs) from Nice, but these days they seem to terminate at Breil with the through trains coming from Ventimiglia.
Cuneo (looked unsuccessfully for the mouse ) is on the flat Piedmont plain with trains onwards to Turin via Savigliano, home of the Pendolino.
The border station at Limone on the Italian side is the only place I have been accosted by police for taking photos in a prohibited area.
This was before EU free movement and apparently smuggling across the border was rife at the time.
Another highlight was when I was invited into the SNCF DMU cab by the driver who had just returned from a tour to Kyle of Lochalsh and was keen to tell me about it!

 

[duesselmartin]

Did that journey from Ventimiglia to Cuneo.
The line is amazing however in Cuneo I was harassed by a gang of migrants near the station in broad daylight. Not the best memory.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Tirano - Milan is quite decent - especially as very affordable both for the train fare and the affordability of local food venues (after Switzerland ! )

Thumbs up for Andermatt - Dissentis too - a decent place to eat on the station also. Especially when a missed connection occurred - too busy observing the traffic.

 

[Western Sunset]

Plymouth to Gunnislake.

 

[Panceltic]

I never knew any of this, so great to know.

It was certainly a trek to get to the station from the town. A huge flight of steps was needed to get up to the station (my disability didn’t help). But it was worth it, as it was a lovely place to wait for a train, even with the motorway next to it (which was largely hidden from view).
I was surprised that the station building was still open, so it was great to see the interior as well as the exterior of the building. There was also an Italian steam locomotive on display.

Yeah, Slovenia is not very disability-friendly I'm afraid - but then again I've been living in the UK for almost 5 years now so things might have changed! Every self-respecting Slovenian station displays an old steam loco

 

[Richard Scott]

Yeah, Slovenia is not very disability-friendly I'm afraid - but then again I've been living in the UK for almost 5 years now so things might have changed!

Afraid they haven't!

 

[Panceltic]

Afraid they haven't!

Can't say I'm surprised, really. I mean at most places you are still supposed to just walk over the tracks to get to the platform, and the majority of our rolling stock has no provision for disabled passengers. There was a bit of a media outrage about two years ago when a girl in a wheelchair was put in the baggage coach for 3 hours (it was on Lj-Koper train) and nobody checked on her the whole way.

 

[CW2]

I'd nominate Elazig to Tatvan in Turkey. Superb line winding along the river valley, recently rebuilt higher up the valley wall to take into account the building of 4 new dams.
The line from Ankara to Kars in north-east Turkey is very scenic too - and I hope there will soon be through passenger services Ankara - Kars - Baku for me to explore.

 

[EssexGonzo]

I have a couple of favourites.

The final stretch of the Eurostar run to Bourg St Maurice as the train you boarded in London winds through the single track line in the valley to the terminus. I’d often seen it from the car so had to do the Ski Train one year.

And the short stretch from St Anton to Landeck which I’ve done several times. The line is mostly above the villages. Lovely in the snow.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

It was certainly a trek to get to the station from the town. A huge flight of steps was needed to get up to the station (my disability didn’t help). But it was worth it, as it was a lovely place to wait for a train, even with the motorway next to it (which was largely hidden from view).
I was surprised that the station building was still open, so it was great to see the interior as well as the exterior of the building. There was also an Italian steam locomotive on display.

I'm not entirely sure if you mean Postojna or Zidani Most, but I took a pic of the old steam tank loco on display at Zidani Most while passing through, and inspecting it I see the maker's plate says "Vulkan-Werke", and then possibly "Stettin" underneath.
I guess that makes it German (in Poland today), Vulkan Werke in Stettin being a builder of locos and ships.

Postojna, and most of Istria and western Slovenia, was part of Italy between WW1 and WW2 when the FS 3kV DC electrification was started.

 

[raetiamann]

I have a couple of favourites.

The final stretch of the Eurostar run to Bourg St Maurice as the train you boarded in London winds through the single track line in the valley to the terminus. I’d often seen it from the car so had to do the Ski Train one year.

And the short stretch from St Anton to Landeck which I’ve done several times. The line is mostly above the villages. Lovely in the snow.

I do like the Arlberg. At any time of year.

 

[alex397]

I'm not entirely sure if you mean Postojna or Zidani Most, but I took a pic of the old steam tank loco on display at Zidani Most while passing through, and inspecting it I see the maker's plate says "Vulkan-Werke", and then possibly "Stettin" underneath.
I guess that makes it German (in Poland today), Vulkan Werke in Stettin being a builder of locos and ships.

Postojna, and most of Istria and western Slovenia, was part of Italy between WW1 and WW2 when the FS 3kV DC electrification was started.

It was Postojna I was talking about.

Nevertheless I do like the Central/Eastern European tradition of displaying an old locomotive outside a station. Really adds to the history.

 

[nanstallon]

The "Lahntalbahn" (Limburg(Lahn) - Koblenz) certainly ticks the box. Mostly in a very narrow valley right next to the Lahn river.

On my summer trip to Austria, I really liked the line from Wörgl to Salzburg, especially the section between Bischofshofen and Golling-Abtenau and certainly the "Gesäusestrecke" from Kleinreifling to Selzthal (4 trains per day, saturdays and sundays only). The line from Spital-Millstättersee to Schwarzach is slightly more well known but certainly very stunning.

And for a contender for a really unappreciated route: The line from Linz Urfahr to Aigen-Schlägl - first, it follows the Danube out of Linz and then climbs the hills through very lightly populated areas and a very dense forrest. Quite a lot of fun on a 5047!

Not quite as mountainous, nor unappreciated, but that's exactly the feeling I get at the southern end of the Conwy Valley. Shall have to do that one once allowed.

Newcastle to Carlisle for scenery plus historical interest - stations and signalboxes. And Hadrian 's Wall nearby.

 

[D6130]

Newcastle to Carlisle for scenery plus historical interest - stations and signalboxes. And Hadrian 's Wall nearby.

Yep....and if you know where to look, you can clearly see Hadrian's Wall at the Westernmost of the two points at which the line crosses it between Low Row and Gilsland.

 

[urbophile]

I too travel to Italy - more than once a year, since retiring - as we have a holiday home there. As you rightly point out, there are some fantastically scenic lines, especially in the central and Southern parts of the country. Apart from the well-known lines in the North and the others that you have mentioned, I can highly recommend the following routes for scenic splendour:

FIrenze - Faenza (the through services are all DMU-operated, but the connecting services to/from Borgo San Lorenzo via Pontassieve are still mainly D445 push-pull sets).

(Roma)-Orte-Fabriano-Falconara - (Ancona)

Terni - Rieti - L' Aquila - Sulmona

Roma - Avezzano - Sulmona - Pescara

Avezzano - Roccasecca - (Cassino)

Sulmona - Castel di Sangro - Carpenone - (Isernia) (now only special tourist trains)

(Napoli) - Caserta - Benevento - Foggia - (Bari)

(Napoli) - Battipaglia - Potenza - Metaponto - (Taranto) and connecting branches - standard, narrow and mixed gauges North of Potenza

Cosenza - Pedace- Camigliatello - San Giovanni in Fiore (narrow gauge with occasional steam tourist trains)

Cosenza - Catanzaro (narrow gauge with rack sections)

Most lines in Sicily, especially Palermo/Agrigento - Catania, Siracusa - Gela and the narrow gauge Circumetnea line around Europe's highest and most active volcano

......and not forgetting our very pretty local line in Eastern Tuscany, the TFT branch from Arezzo to Pratovecchio-Stia.

Genova up into the mountains to Casella. Genova along the coast (particularly through Cinque Terre to la Spezia). Although the view is frequently interrupted by tunnels, the glimpses you get before plunging into the next one are spectacular .

 

[duesselmartin]

Just took the Emscher Line from Duisburg to Dortmund in the Ruhr region. If you are interested in former industry, whether colliery or steel, its the line to travel.